As quickly as the grin appears, it fades.
I want to stand here and coax another one out of him, which is what convinces me to leave. He抣l be my husband, and this is the first conversation we抳e ever had that encapsulates more than polite small talk. Curiosity is one thing, interest another.
揟hanks for the drink,?I tell him, then walk away.
Sophie is practically bouncing in the booth when I return to my seat. 揂h! What did he say??
揌e bought my drink and then gave me a half-assed compliment.?And confirmed our engagement is imminent and incoming, but I keep that to myself.
揝ounds like he likes you.?
揗ore like he抯 trying to figure out how much of a pushover I am.?
Nadia laughs. 揌e抯 in for a surprise, then.?
揗aybe.?I抦 only half-listening now, busy scanning the tall tables below the wall of champagne bottles. It抯 more than a maybe. Crew and I know a lot about each other. But we don抰 know each other.
I抳e never wondered what he thinks of me梪ntil tonight.
I抳e never considered he might surprise me梪ntil tonight.
The two realizations are unnerving, uncomfortable. I don抰 like the implications, and I need a distraction.
A group of guys strolls inside. One toward the front, a blond, makes direct eye contact with me. He抯 wearing a full suit that looks custom made梩ie, jacket, and all梬hich seems like trying too hard to me. If you have money, there抯 no need to flaunt it. Especially in a place like this. But he has an appealing face and a decent body, which are my main criteria at the moment, so I smile at him. He smiles back. I look down, take a sip, and then glance back up. He抯 still staring at me. I pretend to be self-conscious about his eyes on me, glancing away and shifting in my seat like the attention is overwhelming rather than exactly what I was hoping for.
After ordering a drink, he heads our way.
揑ncoming,?Sophie teases, spotting him. Nadia looks as well. All three of us watch him saunter over.
揑s this seat taken??
Not the most original opener, but the way he addresses us all while talking only to me indicates he抯 no newcomer to picking up women. I抦 not interested in his conversation skills, although some would be a plus.
I shake my head in response. He slides into the seat beside me, sitting close enough the stiff material of his pants brush my leg. It抯 a deliberate, practiced move, one that should probably prompt more of a response than light chafing. Unfortunately, I抦 distracted by the feel of eyes on me, eyes that don抰 belong to the guy beside me. I don抰 succumb to the strong urge to look at the bar.
The blond beside me introduces himself as Evan. He, Sophie, and Nadia chat as I work to act like I抦 listening to their idle conversation, not slowly simmering beneath blue flames. I抳e talked to other guys in front of Crew Kensington before. Why should this time be any different?
揥hat do you do, Scarlett??Evan eventually asks.
揑 run a magazine.?
揜eally??He looks intrigued. 揥hat sort of magazine??
揊ashion.?
His eyes run over my dress. 揘ot surprising. You look stunning.?
揟hank you.?Shiny, my ass. If I weren抰 personally appalled by the idea, I抎 order a sequined wedding dress just to spite Crew. I take a fresh stab at conversation. 揥hat do you do, Evan??
That question prompts a weird look from Sophie that makes me think the answer might have been covered while I was 搇istening?earlier. Evan launches into a spiel about his job as a tax attorney. It抯 wholly unfamiliar, so I either blocked it out resoundingly enough or Sophie was frowning about something else. I try to pay attention at first. But I feel my attention drift, even before Crew leaves the bar and approaches our booth, followed by a different blonde than the one from earlier. Once he does, Evan could be belting Beyonce and I wouldn抰 notice.
My whole body tenses. Preparing for what, I don抰 know. We抳e swerved so far off script I can抰 remember what our lines are.
Crew doesn抰 stop walking until he reaches the edge of our booth. He crowds the space like he has every right to be here. Evan glances up at him mid-sentence, clearly confused by what is happening. There抯 a long pause where everyone is silent.
Then, Crew holds a hand out. 揅rew Kensington.?
Recognition washes over Evan抯 face, quickly followed by reverence. 揑梠h. Wow. It抯 an honor to meet you. I抦 Evan桬van Goldsmith.?
Crew glances to me as Evan babbles, amusement obvious in his expression. I imagine Evan is fanboying in hopes he抣l be able to announce to a managing partner he snagged Kensington business for his firm. It抯 wasted time桲ensington Consolidated has an in-house legal team. Evan is mid-sentence when Crew leans down and whispers something to him I am certain involves me.